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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

If you live in Waco, Texas, your neighbor maneuvering a gas lawn mower in the middle of the night likely wouldn't violate the decibel limit, which is eight times louder than the typical nighttime limit in the United States.

The large difference is just one example of the diversity of laws regulating noise throughout the United States [phys.org]. The Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, a national non-profit based in Vermont that gathers noise related resources and advocates for quieter public spaces, has now compiled a database of noise ordinances for nearly 500 of the largest communities in the U.S. The goal is to make it easier for researchers and lawmakers to understand what regulations exist and which ones work the best.

"I've analyzed ordinances from 491 communities so far," said Les Blomberg, executive director of the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse. He will present his database at the 171st meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, held May 23-27 in Salt Lake City, by which time he hopes to have gotten up to at least 500 communities.

Noise pollution doesn't get much press in modern society, but it does affect many citizens. In New York City, for example, noise complaints [nypost.com] are among top calls to the 311 city information line. Even in rural places, semi-trucks' "jake brakes" can shatter the supposed peace and quiet.

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